[71] (1)Satis putō ex istīs posse cuivīs liquēre Pudentillam nōn meīs carminibus ab obstinātā viduitāte compulsam, sed ōlim suā sponte ā nūbendō nōn aliēnam utiquam mē fortasse prae cēterīs māluisse. (2) Quae ēlēctiō tam gravis fēminae cūr mihi crīminī potius quam honōrī danda sit, nōn reperiō; nisi tamen mīror quod Aemiliānus et Rufīnus id iūdicium mulieris aegrē ferant, cum hī, quī Pudentillam in mātrimōnium petīvērunt, aequō animō patiantur mē sibi praelātum.
(3) Quod quidem illa ut faceret, fīliō suō potius quam animō obsecūta est. Ita factum nec Aemiliānus poterit negāre. (4) Nam Pontiānus acceptīs litterīs mātris cōnfestim Rōmā advolāvit metuēns nē, sī quem avārum virum nacta esset, omnia, ut saepe fit, in marītī domum cōnferret. (5) Ea sollicitūdō nōn mediocriter animum angēbat, omnēs illī frātrīque dīvitiārum spēs in facultātibus mātris sitae erant. (6) Avus modicum relīquerat, māter sēstertium quadrāgiēs possidēbat, ex quō sānē aliquantam pecūniam nūllīs tabulīs, sed, ut aequum erat, merā fide acceptam fīliīs dēbēbat. (7) Hunc ille timōrem mussitābat. Adversārī prōpalam nōn audēbat, nē vidērētur diffīdere.
Vocabulary
quīvīs quaevīs quodvīs: who or what you please, anyone
liqueō liquēre licuī/liquī: to be clear to a person; be evident
Pudentilla –ae f.: Aemilia Pudentilla, married first to Sicinius Amicus and then to Apuleius; mother of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens.
(2)
obstinātus –a –um: determined, resolute
viduitās –ātis f.: widowhood
compellō compellere compulī compulsus: to compel, force
suā sponte: voluntarily, of one's own free will
nūbō nūbere nūpsī nūptum: to marry
utiquam: in any way; non ... utiquam, by no means
fortasse: perhaps
prae: in preference to (+ abl.), before
ēlēctiō –ōnis f.: a choice, selection
(2)
Aemiliānus –ī m.: Sicinius Aemilianus, principal accuser, uncle of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens.
Rūfīnus –ī m.: Herennius Rufinus: allegedly son of a bankrupt father, father of (Herennia).
Pudentilla –ae f.: Aemilia Pudentilla, married first to Sicinius Amicus and then to Apuleius; mother of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens.
(2)
mātrimōnium –ī(ī) n.: marriage
praeferō praeferre praetulī praelātus: to prefer
obsequor obsequī obsecūtus sum: to obey
(3)
Pontiānus –ī m.: Sicinius Pontianus: Roman knight, elder son of Sicinius Amicus and Aemilia Pudentilla, now dead.
(4)
cōnfestim: immediately
advolō advolāre advolāvī advolātus: to fly to, hurry to
avārus –a –um: greedy
nancīscor nancīscī nanctus (nactus) sum: to obtain, find
marītus –ī m.: husband
sollicitūdō –inis f.: anxiety, worry
(5)
mediocriter: (adv.) to a moderate degree
angō –ere –ānxī –ānctus (–ānxus): to distress, trouble, torture
facultās facultātis f.: resources
avus avī m.: grandfather
(6)
modicus modica modicum: moderate, modest, temperate
sestertium -ī n.: a sesterce, a small silver coin, originally equal to two and a half asses; often abbreviated HS
quādrāgiē(n)s: 40 times
possideō –ēre –sēdī –sessus: to hold, possess
sānē: certainly, truly
aliquantus –a –um: of some size, moderate
tabula tabulae f.: plank, (game) board; painting; writing tablet
merus –a –um: pure, undiluted
mussitō –āre –āvī –ātus: to mutter, grumble; to keep quiet
(7)
adversor –ātus sum: to oppose
prōpalam: openly, publicly
diffīdō diffīdere diffīsus sum: to distrust